It’s dawn at Shizen Heroic Academy. Wind runs through Reo Takagi’s short hair as he jogs across the quad. You can see nervous first-years lined against old stone columns, checking notes and gear.
Reo wants one thing. He’s set on reaching Class A, same as his older sister Ran once did. The hidden truth? He never beat her in anything, not since they were kids. Now, he’s got this one chance. Would you risk everything to prove yourself, or pull back?
Hayate, Reo’s best friend, spots him. “Nervous as always?” Hayate grins, tapping his high-tops against tile. He controls breezes with his voice. “Fine, I get it. You want to stand on your own. Just… try not to trip over your own shoes.” They both laugh. It’s a small, friendly sound before real tests start.
The academy is buzzing. New groupings, challenge banners flashing on walls. Sera, a tech wiz with shy eyes, finishes hacking the test sensor—she wants results out fast this year. Her methods are bold for someone so reserved. Know someone like that?
“Gather by the North Gate,” speakers blare. That’s where Team Nu gets called. That’s Reo’s group: Hayate, Sera, Shion (fire-user, likes comic books), and Izuna (best runner, known for sense of smell). What’s the mood? A bit tense. Everyone’s heard of The Shadow Gate Trials—no one’s solved them in seven years.
First task: reach the main bell below the West Watchtower before sunset. Notify Control using the old hero-phones. Easy, right? Not quite. The bell’s inside a moving labyrinth, and zones have hidden effects. You cross the Wraith Line, you either lose your cap—with your name burned onto it—or you gain a minor boost that may mess with your senses.
Izuna puts her nose to the air. “Bell’s up north, but I smell fire to the east. Move together?” Reo answers, “Not this time. We all try our luck or we’ll get nowhere.” It sets the plan, team splitting into pairs. 
Sera grips her tool-spanner tight. “We really splitting up for this?” Hayate turns, says softly, “We trust you, Sera. Just don’t play hero, okay?” Moments like this either bind or snap a group apart.
They move fast at first. Hayate and Sera get toxic wind. Maps spin. Compass needles juggle. They guess, fix, race onward. Down dark halls Reo faces his shadow, literally: a copy reflecting his doubts blocks each turn. Ran’s voice echoes, taunting his pace.
Shion uses her fire sparingly, eyes darting. Shadows leap, but never touch her flame. She and Reo cross, meeting Sera and Hayate at a glass floor with the bell gleaming above. Seems close, right?
Wrong. The bell lowers just as alarm sounds. The exit door crumbles. Izuna arrives late, panting, eyes wild. She throws a light-up tile, revealing secret steps. It’s skill, yes. Mainly heart. When have you last felt like you knew exactly what to do?
Just as Reo grabs the rope, the ground splits. Hayate’s breeze holds the platform—barely. Shion, palm open, blasts flames to melt anchors. Sera tweaks the tech node, sending bursts to sync the bell pulse with Izuna’s steps. They need everyone—there’s no big star to save the day this round. 
Team Nu’s mind and arms pull as one. Reo slams his fist on the call plate. The old phone sings a spell code. The bell sounds, echoing through walls.
Right then, the Shadow Gate itself appears, doors wide. Holograms pulse with records: they matched the timer but not the pattern needed. Only half the group can step inside.
No plan covers this. Izuna jokes, breaks tension: “Guess it’s rock-paper-scissors for hero work.” Emotions bubble. Who do you let through if you can’t all go on?
Suddenly, alarms shift. The hosts have changed the rules. Those left outside will face a different trial at night, no breaks, no help from inside. Sera turns to Hayate, voice shaking. “What do we do, then? What do I do if you’re not there?” Hayate just smiles, shaking. His words float there, real. “You’ll do what you always do, Sera. You’ll figure it out.” 
The group is tearing up. But they split at the doors. Reo and Shion pass through, fading into light as others look on.
One last word from Reo: “Don’t let them decide what being a hero is for you. We’re not done yet.” He vanishes. The night is coming, and Team Nu knows trouble waits. Would you watch the gate, or follow into the dark?
End on Hayate’s clenched jaw and Sera’s stone-hard stare at the closed door. The old campus bells ring again. Next episode? Neither side’s tasks will play out as planned. 
